Page 24 of Hunt for You

I chewed on my fingernail. Cain had said no one could know.

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DeadGirlWalking:Just toying with the trolls. I can’t wait to see what conspiracy theory they’ll come up with about what it’s for.

PurplePeoplEater:You’re evil.

DeadGirlWalking:You just noticed? Go to sleep.

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He sent back a gif of a woman sticking out her tongue, and I didn’t reply.

The post was still up. A handful of trolls were debating whether it was a serial killer’s play box. Only one of them mentioned something about Dom after-care—but he got shot down by the guy who pointed out that the Bible was a buzzkill.

But every time a new comment popped and my computer pinged, my heart rate went through the roof. And then, every time, it wasnothing.

I checked Cain’s profile, but it said he was offline.

I chewed on my fingernail for a minute. Then decided,fuck it,and clicked the direct message thread.

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***SYSTEM NOTE: CHAT ENCRYPTED END-TO-END. ENSURE ALL ACCOUNTS ARE LOGGED OFF BEFORE DISCONNECTING.***

DeadGirlWalking:Are you online?

DeadGirlWalking:I posted the picture and it’s all there. Let me know you got it.

DeadGirlWalking:And tell me how long it will be until the hunt. Please?

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I waited for a few minutes in case he came online, but my blood was humming, and not in the good way. It was as if my veins pumped carbonated water and it was making my entire body swell. Like my skin might burst.

My heel was tapping on the carpet, and I bit the quick of my nail, hissing when it bled and I had to suck on it. But still… I was just sitting there staring at an empty, inactive screen.

And then it hit me. It might bedaysbefore he came on, or told me he’d seen it. I couldn’t know.

Then the fizzing in my veins turned to sheer panic.

I really didn’t know.

How long might he wait just to toy with me?

Hours? Days?Weeks?

Since the moment Cain had told me he’d see me, every waking, undistracted thought had been about him, and the hunt, and getting to the place where I knew he was coming. I’d been chasing that rush like an addict after a dealer. Now there was only this one hurdle left.

But it was one I could not affect.

Him.

My breath was short and shallow and my hands were beginning to shake as the dark shadows of my mind started talking, reminding me why we were here, and where this was going, and why I wanted that, andmaybe I didn’t need to wait for Cain at all.

Panicking, I quickly logged off and got the computer shut down, then tore out of my office to my room. If I sat here alone, I was going to spiral. I couldfeelit.

I had been so obsessed with this, I hadn’t even showered today. So the first thing I did was make myself get clean. Then I needed to get dressed.

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